UMUC Exceeds $26 Million Fundraising Goal

University surpasses the goal set as part of the University System of Maryland’s seven-year fundraising initiative

July 19, 2011

ADELPHI, MD (July 19, 2011)—UMUC today announced that "The Campaign for UMUC: Building a Legacy of Educational Opportunities" has surpassed its goal of $26 million. The campaign—part of the University System of Maryland's seven-year fundraising initiative—reached its goal in March, and by the end of the fiscal year, had surpassed the goal by almost $500,000.

"UMUC is delighted to announce that we've not only met, but exceeded our campaign goal, which has already provided tremendous support to our students and university programs, and will continue to do so into the future," said UMUC President Susan C. Aldridge. "We are deeply grateful for the generous gifts from our alumni, friends and the business community that have helped further our mission of making higher education affordable and accessible for adult students worldwide. The campaign focused on securing additional scholarship support, and we have met that goal, as well, with more than $10 million going directly to our students."

The overall campaign supported four distinct areas of need: Scholarships and endowed chairs, academic programs, the UMUC Arts Program, and unrestricted funds directed to the university's areas of greatest and most immediate need.

The university reached its goals thanks to several significant gifts. Most notable, perhaps, was a wholly anonymous $6 million gift that the university received in 2009—one of about 15 such gifts, totaling more than $85 million, to universities headed by female presidents. That gift has been used to support scholarships across the student population, including community college transfer students, military spouses, students wishing to pursue a Masters of Arts in Teaching and students enrolled in the Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration program.

Other notable donations include:

Two generous gifts in 2004 from Dr. Donald S. Orkand, a long-time member of the university's Board of Visitors, and his wife, Mrs. Kim L. Orkand, established an endowed fund for undergraduate scholarships and also created the Orkand Endowed Chair in Management and Technology in UMUC's Graduate School. This academic chair, the first established at UMUC, works with faculty members and students across the Graduate School in integrating cutting-edge management theories and trends into the curricula. Dr. Orkand, his wife, and his daughter, Katarina, also established a fund that supports military personnel and dependents through scholarships and book awards.

In 2005, UMUC received a gift in kind from the Oracle Corporation of software and technical support, valued at more than $2 million.

In April 2010, UMUC celebrated the opening of the Leroy Merritt Center for the Art of Joseph Sheppard. The new center honors Sheppard's work and celebrates the legacy of Maryland philanthropist and businessman Leroy Merritt, who provided the lead gift. Other contributions toward the construction of the center came from George M. Sherman, Henry A. Rosenberg Jr., the Blaustein Philanthropic Group, Michael J. Batza Jr., Richard O. Berndt Esq., and Earl L. Linehan.

Late last year, the Kresge Foundation awarded UMUC a $1.2 million grant that will allow UMUC to develop an extensive data mining initiative to support student retention.

On April 2, 2011, University of Maryland University College hosted a highly successful cybersecurity gala, An Evening in Cyberspace: Supporting Tomorrow's Cybersecurity Leaders. The gala raised more than $1.2 million from generous donor support, with proceeds designated for cybersecurity scholarships. ManTech International Corp. was the gala's lead sponsor, donating $250,000. Other sponsors included Mark J. Gerencser (chair of the UMUC Board of Visitors), Booz Allen Hamilton, Pearson, SAIC, Northrop Grumman, APPTIS, CISCO, Deloitte, L-3 STRATIS, NJVC and SAS. Sponsorship support also came from various companies, including AT&T, Cyberpoint, Dell, Google, Hyland Software, DC Ventures and Associates, LLC, Telcordia, and CACI.